I’ll be honest with you- a wooden paper plate holder was not something I grew up with. Paper plates, yes, but designated wooden holders for them? Nope, not at all. There wasn’t much primitive country decor in my childhood home, so that’s probably why. Fast forward to my days as an upcycling blogger, though, and I couldn’t snap this one up fast enough! Because I had an upcycling idea to transform it into a pumpkin patch sign for Fall.Read more ›
Fishing Floats from Thrift Store Vases
September 4, 2018 · By · 22 Comments
Many years ago, I published this project for glass fishing floats by upcycling some vases and bowls from the thrift store. But in the years since, the craft product I used to make these fishing floats went off the market. So, I decided to start from scratch with an even better craft paint to create a new set. Read more ›
Upcycling Projects that Repurpose Cabinet Doors
August 26, 2018 · By · 9 Comments
Similar to cutting boards, cabinet doors (or cupboard doors, depending on your lingo) are an amazing DIY canvas. A large blank expanse of wood, painted or not, with minimal prep work to be done, usually limited to removing handles and hinges. And stores like Habitat ReStore or other architectural salvage stores almost ALWAYS have a large selection of them. So, it’s no surprise that I am always trying to conjure up ways to repurpose cabinet doors. Read more ›
Rustic Wooden Crates from Old Drawers
August 22, 2018 · By · 34 Comments
This is one of those ideas that has been rattling around in my head for a while, and I’ve finally set aside time to give it a go. See, last year, I repurposed an old drawer into a potting bench and endeavored to recreate the look of an old fruit crate with wood stain. It was at that moment that I wondered if I could upcycle some old drawers (of a slightly different shape) into rustic wooden crates for easy farmhouse decor.Read more ›
Vintage Luggage Decor with an Old Suitcase
August 16, 2018 · By · 27 Comments
During our Junkin’ Journey trip to Richmond, VA, I came across the most GORGEOUS vintage suitcase at an antiques shop. But as much as I loved it, I couldn’t justify the cost on something I simply didn’t need- truly an exercise in restraint for me. So, I snapped a photo and thought of it often. Until I wondered if I could recreate my own version of vintage luggage decor with a little upcycling magic!Read more ›
Refashioning with Ribbon Belts
August 12, 2018 · By · 9 Comments
When I was a teenager, I had grand plans that involved collecting snippets of vintage jacquard ribbon (and non-vintage, if pretty enough) to decorate “all the things”, such as handbags, headbands, and t-shirts. But I quickly found out that the gorgeous ribbon I coveted so much was expensive…and my plans fizzled out. Fast forward a couple of decades, and I’m back at it with an alternative (and thrifty) plan: What if I used some ribbon belts from the thrift store to embellish different accessories?Read more ›
Baking Pan Storage in a Kitchen Caddy
August 8, 2018 · By · 22 Comments
Magazine holders are a pretty common sight at thrift stores, aren’t they? I’ve certainly seen my fair share of them, and have even repurposed a few of them before. Upcycling another one wasn’t a priority for me, but this particular one couldn’t be passed up. Large, sturdy, and ripe for a makeover, it seemed destined to become a kitchen caddy.Read more ›
Sand Collection Display in a Vintage Spice Rack
August 2, 2018 · By · 28 Comments
There I was in Goodwill, crawling through the housewares when I paused to check an alert on my phone. A friend’s photo of a gorgeous sunset on the beach popped up, and when I went back to thrift shelf scanning, there it was. A vintage spice rack that someone else had painted purple, using it to house her button collection. But with the beach photo still burning a hole in my mind and the spice rack in front of me, I had an idea. To create a sand collection display in the old spice rack!Read more ›
30+ Ideas for Upcycled Picture Frames
July 29, 2018 · By · 2 Comments
Few things in life are certain, but this one is: step into any thrift store in any town, and you will find a plethora of picture frames. Why so many end up donated to thrifts, I’ll never know. But the good news is that there are tons of ideas for upcycled picture frames out there.Read more ›
French Farmhouse Decor from the Thrift Store
July 25, 2018 · By · 70 Comments
I wanted to take a quick detour from my normal upcycling and repurposing projects for a slightly different kind of blog post. Today, I wanted to dive into thrift store decor a little deeper, because shopping secondhand is near and dear to me. In fact, it’s the foundation of everything I do here on my blog. Think of this as a “Shop the Look” kind of post, but not with fashion. Instead, we’re going work on a “Thrift the Look” home decor vignette using a magazine photo as inspiration. And the theme of this Thrift the Look post is French Farmhouse Decor. Read more ›
